Story+2000-06-15+New+York+City,+NY

´´(sings ‘Take Me to the River’) That´s right....that’s where I wanna go....I wanna go to the riverside tonight....I wanna go to that river of faith....I wanna go to that river of life....I wanna go to that river of hope....I wanna find that river of love.....that love that washes away the hate and misunderstanding....I wanna find that river of santification.....I wanna find my place at that river of transformation where you can go and you can change yourself....and I wanna find my place at that river of resurrection where everybody gets a second chance.....I wanna find that river of sexual healing....let the healing begin ! (chuckles)....that´s where I wanna go tonight....and I want you to go with me....are you ready to go with me now ? (cheers) that´s good because I need to go with you, that´s why I´m here.....because I can´t get there by myself....and you can´t get to all those things by yourself, it´s impossible....so tonight, tonight I wanna throw a rock and roll baptism.....a rock and roll exorcism....a rock and roll bar mitzvah....I wanna be washed in those waters and set free again....that´s right.....but once I stood as a young man, I stood one evening before a dark grove of trees and just like a little child, I was frightened to pass through those trees....even though I knew that on the other side, the river of life was waiting, there were no fucking cellphones ! (chuckles) and there was cold beer at a reasonable price.....but still I couldn´t pass through those trees, I was paralyzed by my fears....then a gypsy woman called me onward and she said ´Son, what you need is you need some help....what you need, what´s your line ?´, I told her what I did and she said ´What you need is you need a band....but not just any band !´....so tonight here in Madison Square Garden, on the main event, I wanna introduce, in this corner....the Long Island Piano Pounder, Professor Roy Bittan ....and in this corner, the Minister of faith and friendship, keeper of all that is righteous on E Street.....the Middletown Mafioso and star of the ´Sopranos´-television-show....Little Steven Van Zandt on the guitar....that´s right....stand with me, Brother, at the riverside....the foundation of the E Street nation, on the bass, the Tennesee Terror, Mr.Garry W.Tallent.....on the drums, the man that brings the power night after night after night, star of Late Night Television, the East Orange Offender, the Mighty, Mighty, Mighty Max Weinberg.....on the guitar, the Godfather of the guitar, Secretary of heart and spirit, the Maryland Mauler, Nils Lofgren.....with me at the riverside.....on the organ, in this corner, with a record of a 165 unpaid New York City parking tickets....the Furious Flemington Furs´ Salesman, Brother Dan Federici....and now in this far corner, the Asbury Park Heartbreaker, the (?) defender, charged with a 180 counts of melodious assault, on the guitar and vocals, the First Lady of love, Miss Patti Scialfa....(?)....thank you, baby... and now last but not least....that´s right, last but not least....the Minister of soul, Secretary of the brotherhood, the next senator from the state of New York.....do I have to say his name ? ....do I have to say his name ?...say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ? ....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?....say who ?.....”
 * 15.06.00 New York City, NY, middle of ´Tenth Avenue Freeze Out´**

´´Thank you....gonna do this one tonight for the folks from City Harvest....that are here with us....City Harvest is committed to feeding the hungry people of New York City....there are many, many people who the economy is not reaching, they depend on City Harvest to meet their daily needs, they´re out there for us assisting the struggling citizens of New York, they deserve your time and your support, they´ll be out there tonight in the lobby, please stop by and give ´em a hand....(?)....”
 * 15.06.00 New York City, NY, intro to ´No Surrender´**

´´New York City !....the Big Apple !....but everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve seen people lost in confusion....I´ve seen people lost.....in the concrete jungle....I´ve seen people lost in the wilderness....I´ve seen people lost on the subways in loneliness....I´ve seen people lost in envy of the Jersey Devils winning the Stanley Cup....I´ve seen people lost at the Statue of Liberty which is actually in New Jersey....I´ve seen people lost in the New York Giants memorabilia, who, come to think of it, actually play in New Jersey....maybe they should be called the New Jersey Giants....I´ll show you some controversy now, baby....I´ve seen people lost in bitterness (chuckles) but tonight we´re here on a search-and-rescue mission, we´ve come thousands and thousands of miles, all around the world, and I want you to know if you’re downhearted, disspirited, disgusted, dispossessed, downsized, analyzed, retropsychedelizised, Republicanised, it´s not too late to repent, I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight.... I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight .....I’m here tonight....I’m here tonight....I´m here tonight....I´m here tonight, I wanna re-educate you, resuscitate you, regenerate you, reconfiscate you, reindoctrinate you, recombobolate you, resexualate you, rededicate you, reliberate you with the power and the glory, with the promise, with the magic, with the mystery....with the ministry of rock and roll !....that´s right .....that´s right....that´s right....with the ministry of rock and roll !....now, unlike my competitors, I cannot, I shall not, I cannot promise you life everlasting ....but I can promise you life right now !...and all you gotta do is raise your hand and say ‘I’.....”
 * 15.06.00 New York City, NY, middle of ´Light of Day´**

´´Gonna do this for Holly tonight....”
 * 15.06.00 New York City, NY, intro to ´This Hard Land´**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//